Free Enterprize/Democracy?

[Jonathan]

Why not? I said it before and I will say it again, if the government chooses to spend tax dollars on social welfare programs it does not negate a Christian's moral obligations. So please elaborate, if you will, on these "significant dangers" you see. Keep in mind the Bible does not mandate how governments spend tax money.

Why not? Well, for starters, the difference in governance. Being compelled by the Holy Spirit and being compelled by the policing arm of a powerful government are completely difference. By surrendering a church mandate to the government, we get way more than we bargained for.

For example, a church is able to assist the needy in way that do not compromise its other Scriptural mandates (like, say, the need to maintain a prophetic voice in the community). A government, especially one that is "of", "by", and "for" way more people than those in the community of faith, will not be bound by such a restriction. This is precisely why the Great Society welfare programs failed to reduce poverty and ended up greating a much worse society than before.

Then we get into the larger spiritual problem of mandate "outsourcing". If I can get the government to handle my Christian responsibilities (by confiscating funds from you as well), then where is my need to actually participate? All I need to do is watch the withholding line items in my paycheck.

 

[Filmproducer]

Why not? Well, for starters, the difference in governance. Being compelled by the Holy Spirit and being compelled by the policing arm of a powerful government are completely difference. By surrendering a church mandate to the government, we get way more than we bargained for.

Policing arm of the government? You do know you are talking about tax dollars, here, right? Trust me, the government would find a way to spend the money even if they drastically reduced the funding of social welfare programs. Not to mention the fact that I have already pointed out that we are NOT surrendering a church mandate to the government. Has the government taken away your ability to help the poor and needy? That is a sorry excuse for a Christian to make. Even if you argue that your ability to help monetarily has been reduced there are other ways of lending a hand.....

For example, a church is able to assist the needy in way that do not compromise its other Scriptural mandates (like, say, the need to maintain a prophetic voice in the community). A government, especially one that is "of", "by", and "for" way more people than those in the community of faith, will not be bound by such a restriction.

First of all the government is "of, by, and for" all Americans, not just the rich, or the Christians, or the poor, etc. Last time I checked the government has no biblical mandate to spend tax dollars any particular way. Churches can still assist the needy regardless of what the government does. Again, not seeing the "significant danger", here....

BTW, what is this "prophetic voice" you are claiming is being squashed?

Then we get into the larger spiritual problem of mandate "outsourcing". If I can get the government to handle my Christian responsibilities (by confiscating funds from you as well), then where is my need to actually participate? All I need to do is watch the withholding line items in my paycheck.

So again the danger does not lie within the government, but the church? That is what you are claiming here. The church, or rather Christians, will be tempted into ignoring their spiritual and moral obligations because the government uses taxes to fund social welfare programs.

The "confiscated funds" you are so adamant about are the very same "taxes" that the Bible specifically tells us to "render unto Caesar". Again don't really see any "significant danger" here. The problems you have brought have more to do with the sinful nature of man, than any system of government. I'll be the first to admit that the social welfare programs of the US need a major overhaul, but this notion of biblical "outsourcing" I find somewhat comical. A Christian has the ability to perform their moral and spiritual obligations regardless of what the government does with our tax money. Until that changes, you are grasping for straws....